The joys of DIY car maintenance.

Whilst surfing the web with hope of finding some advice regarding a problem I have with a fuel pump on one of my cars I came across this reply on another forum "Thanks I have checked it out and the pump has no power to it so I will need to replace it"

Problem with pump not working, filter blocked, if it has one or the diaphragm punctured, most fuel pumps on older cars were simple devices driven from lobe on the camshaft, not so the original mini's which were electric and fitted underneath the car adjacent to the rear wheel.

I went to an electrical retailer for 4 metres of earth cable. I was told that all of their cables came on 100 metre reels and the earth cable hadn't been started yet so I couldn't have any!

I asked if I could be the customer that started the earth reel and they looked at me as if I was stupid and told me that a reel of neutral cable had been started so I could have 4 metres of that and a roll of earth coloured tape to wrap around it!

Strange things are fuel pumps. Many years ago, I once stopped at a fuel station in Wales for a petrol top-up. Shortly afterwards the vehicle began to 'play-up', and the AA were called out. The problem was diagnosed as 'dirty fuel pump', was cleaned and sent on way. Shortly afterwards the vehicle began to 'play-up' again. AA called out again, and fault was traced to fuel pump.

At that point, it was realised that a number of other vehicles in the area was having similar problems. Eventual cause, was the fuel station was dispensing a mixture of petrol and diesel from their pumps!.

I once wanted 26mtrs of armoured cable which is not cheap. The first place only sold it in 25mtrs or 50mtr rolls. I decided that I could with a struggle just about get away with 25, they did not have one in stock only 50mtrs.
I went to another wholesaler and asked for a 25mtr roll, OK he said and went to get it. After a long time he returned and apologized for the delay saying that he had had to measure it as he had cut it from a 100mtr roll as they sold it by the metre. You can never win:-)

I will own up to one mistake I made with the wife's car, she had been complaining about a knocking noise coming from the back of her 4x4.

Had a look in the rear and hanging there was a trigger bottle with windscreen de-icer in it and every time she went round a corner the bottled banged against the side.

Clever me sorted problem, 2 seconds done, couple of days later she said noise was still there so thought have another look, it was only the back shocker that had snapped off at the top mounting point and was banging on the chassis.